Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-03-25
DOUGL1S COUNTY.

Lbli iok NEVIEW: AS the intelligent immI-
grant will instinctively inquire into all the
natural as well as social advantages Of the
country which he contemplates visiting with
the view of seeking new home, that
which will offer the greatest inducements is
the place where he will be most likely TO
pitch his tent. To furnish such information
is the object Of this essay. 1t is too often the
case that interested parties will write up a
country in such glowing and highly coored
language that while it is pleasing to read, it
fails to impress the reader with any real
merits as to the country described, though
never SO truthful; because the immigrant has
SO often been imposed upon By sharpers and
designing t'boom workers." with the ulterior
view of making a few dollars at the expense
Of the immigrant and ultimately to the injury
of the country by imaginative gazetteers and
journalists or their hired scrivners. In this
short essay we propose to give plain unvar-
nished tale, believing that honesty is the best
policy" that if the truth concerning our county
will not bear inspection, and that the real
merits of our soil, climate and social advan-
tages are wanting it would be vain to try to
create ''boom'' by pen ink and paper.
The area Of Douglas county is more than
that of Connecticut, and four times larger
than Rhode Island. 1t lies in sort Of ho
low square, bounded on the north by the Gala
pooia, on the east by the Cascades, on the
south by the Canyon and on the west by the
Coast Ranges of mountains. 1t is bIsectcd by
the South Umpqua river which rises in the
southeast part and empties INTO the Pacific
ocean on the northwest; joined near the cen-
ter ofthe county by the North Umpqua which
rises in the Cascade mountains south Of Dia-
mond peak. Upon the South Umpqua there
are very fertile valleys ofs bottom land now
mostly occupied by settlers who came to this
valley prior to the war OF the Rebellion
Nearly all the bottom lands clear of timber
have been long since settled where peace and
plenty now abounds. There are considerable
government lands yet in this county which
when cleared of timber make good farms.
The tributaries to the Umpquas also afford
nice little fertile bottom lands that are being
frequently entered as homcsteads in the Land
Office at Roscburg. These, however, have
to be cleared Of timber as prairie lands have
long since been taken up. The county is
we'll watered, there being scarcely a quar-
ter section Of land in the county that has not
living water u;.on 1t, either in the form of
spring or creek. Tie bottom lands are very
rich and produce all the cereals and grasses
grow in this county quite bounulully. When
well cultivated the yield in grain IS above the
average in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Douglas county produced in 1850, 43o, I9S
bushels of wheat, 25,633 bushels Of corn, 59,
254 bushels Of barley, 347,83o bushels Of oats,
1879 ions of hay, 52,4I2 bushels Of potatoes,
and her orchard products amounted TO 54,I33
dollars. Her live stock was as follows: horses
5000, COWS 1850, other cattle $3.50, sheep
1850, swine I5,446; 5I1,5S2 pounds of
WOOL 1870 pounds of butter and 1924
pounds Of cheese.
Now LEI us compare the above with Doug
las county, Illinois, q prairie country near
Chicago. See census 1850. Douglas county
Illinois, 1880, 464,27S oats; barley Io6
(but 3, 355,ooS bu. Of corn) 23,464 tons of
hay, 32,s9I bushels Of potatoes, ard her or
chard products only about half OF ours, being
only 27,352 dollars. This comparison shows
that we possess all the elements Of wealth as
to food products. Add to this mild and
salubrious climate and you have county not
the least desirable. We do not know what the
future will hold in store for us, but up to the
present 4 failure Of crops is unknown in this
county. Stock raising is comparatively very
cheap as but little feed for the winter season
is required, the summers are not ,oppressiYely
hot, no cyclones, no strong winds, but very
little lightning and thunder, very few pests to
man, beast, orchards or grain The foregoing
are some Of the advantages of Douglas county
Oregon. On some future occasion | will
speak of others, such as our mines, lumber
fishing INTEREST," all of which is immense. The
foregoing is plain unvarnished story Of few
of our attractions We do no claim to be in
the garden of Eden. Nature has done much,
but labor must do its share to fully develop
this county now in its infancy as to culture.
Give as a little more energy and fair share Of
capital to aid us and ere long Douglas county
will be one of the richest counties in the state.
ARGUS.